Y4 Wą 1-14. The former time.
W˛ 15-18. The latter time.
Wą X 1-. Howl.
Y -1-13. Reason. Devastation.
X 14-. Howl.
Y -14. Reason. Devastation.649-588 B.C.
Isaiah 23)
1 The oracle of Tyre (it had rejoice in the misfortunes of Judah [Amos 1:9]; so it is punished by the same king of Babylon [v.13]. Ezek. 26:2-21). Howl, all you ships of Tarshish (see 2:16 and 1 Kings 10:22. Ships = fig., put for the people in them);
Y aą -1-4. Apostrophe to Tarshish and Zidon.
bą 5. Cause of sorrow. Report.
a˛ 6-8. Apostrophe to Tarshish.
b˛ 9. Cause. Yehovah.
ał 10-12. Apostrophe to Tarshish.
bł 13. Punishment. Chaldeans.
for it is laid waste, so that there is no port, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it [i.e. the fall of Tyre] is revealed to them. (originally used of Cyprus, but extended to the islands and coast-lands of the Mediterranean)
2 Be still, all you inhabitants of the isle (here, Tyre itself); which the merchants of Zidon, that cross the sea (in trading. in vv.6,10,12, imperative, implying flight), have replenished.
3 And by great waters the seed (or, grain) of Sihor (= the black river, the Nile [cp. Jer. 2:18]), the harvest (Egypt was the field, the Phśnician coast its granary) of the river (see 7:18. "River" is here put by fig., for the country [Egypt] through which it passes), is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations (or, it became merchandise for the nations. Mart = gain resulting from merchandise, as in v.18 [45:14. Prov.3:14; 31:18]).
4 Be you ashamed, O Zidon (Zidon was a seaport, the mother city of Phśnicia, the granary of Egypt's harvests. The Zidonians had built Tyre on a rocky island, and connected it with the mainland): for the sea has spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, “I have not travailed (the verbs are in the past tense. The sea speaks to the mother Zidon: you seek Tyre - you find only the sea), nor bring forth sons, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.
5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. (or, When the report comes to Egypt the are forthwith in terror at the report concerning Tyre)
6 Cross you all over to Tarshish; howl, all you inhabitants of the isle.
7 Is this your joyous city, whose origin is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. (fig., put for the vessels in which the Tyrians fled from Nebuchadnezzar)
8 Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crown-giver (conferring crowns on other Phśnician cities), whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?
9 The Lord of hosts has purposed it, to pollute the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
10 Cross through your land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, He shook the kingdoms: the Lord has given a commandment against Tyre (or, the Phśnician coast. Hos.12:7), to destroy the strong holds thereof (or, which are upon it).
12 And He said, “Thou shall no more rejoice, O you humbled virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shall you have no rest.”
13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; a people that were no people (i.e. Assyria. Tyre boasted antiquity [v.7]. Assyria was their object-lesson and warning), till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and (or, but) He brought it to ruin.
14 Howl, all you ships of Tarshish:
for your strength is laid waste.
W˛ c 15. Time. 70 years.
d 16. Rejoicing. Fig. Irony.
c 17-. Time. 70 years.
d -17,18. Restitution. Literal.15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years (see Jer. 25:9-11; 27:2-7. From the fist year of Nebuchadnezzar [496 B.C.] to the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus [426 B.C.]), according to the days of one, king (Heb. ’ehad, a compound unity, hence "one" of a dynasty, here, the Babylonian dynasty. Not yahid, a single one. See Deut.6:4): after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.
16 Take an harp, go about the city, you harlot that has been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that you may be remembered.
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre,
and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the earth which are upon the face of the ground (or soil).
18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be set apart to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat abundantly, and for durable clothing.